180 Degree Rule (Technique)

The 180 degree rule is a basic guideline in film making. It regards the relationship between two characters positions. It states that in one scene, two characters must have the same left/right relationship to each other. Having the characters shift position may disorient the audience and may confuse them.

Below is an example of the 180 degree rule being broken, after which it is obeyed. The clip is from the film Leon: The Professional, the breaking of the 180 degree rule shows gives the viewer an uneasy feeling as they are talking about an awkward topic. However once the Leon, the man, (played by Jean Reno) begins to open up, the 180 degree rule is obeyed.


















The 180 degree rule isn't always obeyed, sometimes it is purposely broken to create a sense of disorientation for the viewer. Stanley Kubrick was known to break it, one example where he broke the rule is the bathroom scene from The Shining. In this scene Stanley Kubrick shoots from both directions of the bathroom, the characters both switch position on the screen whenever the camera changes position due to the fact that Stanley Kubrick didn't follow the 180 degree rule on purpose, the fact that this is from a horror film indicates that it was done to create an effect on the audience.